


Voglia di equilibrio

by baeconandeggs



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 10:45:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6800560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In order to escape Seoul and his life, Baekhyun buys on impulse a ticket to Italy. He doesn’t know what to expect from a country he doesn’t know. He has to face the language barrier, his fears and the loneliness. Yet, on his first day, he meets Chanyeol, a busker playing the guitar in the streets of Rome, who soon becomes his tour guide. Baekhyun discovers Italy thanks to Chanyeol, but struggles to forget what happened in Seoul.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Voglia di equilibrio

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to the mods for being awesome. Thanks to J, S and C(even if you're not in this fandom), you've listened to me whine and have also helped a lot. OP, I fail at comedy, but at least you get to see Italy through Baekhyun and Chanyeol’s eyes. I hope you enjoy that. I was gonna make a playlist, but I couldn´t. The name’s taken from Estate by Negramaro, so I suggest listening to the full album while reading, [Mentre Tutto Scorre](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZDLxQl4N3U&list=PLZm4Fg-ZiH6QzCFChhVrHN5dYCg8bTPWr)

What are you afraid of?

Baekhyun left Korea with that question in mind. His friend Jongdae had asked that to him, while Baekhyun was packing his bag and his fears were letting loose. He was given a time off at his job; he needed vacations to sort his mind out. Life had been draining him.  
“Losing my job, for starters,” Baekhyun had replied.

“If they gave you this time off, I’m pretty sure they want you back on your best condition.” Jongdae’s explanation made sense. The board decided he should clear his mind before returning.

This was his first time traveling by himself and that added more fears to face. When he bought the ticket to Rome from Seoul, the last thing on his mind was that he didn’t speak the language or that he didn’t know a thing about Italy aside from a few basic things he’s learned all through his life. He made no plans and it was scary, but, at the same time, it was exciting, discovering a place all on his own. One week in Italy could go amazingly well or terribly wrong. He kept touching his _fearless_ bracelet the whole flight.

 

**ROMA**

Rome greets him with a sunny day and humid weather. Fourteen hours of flight have taken their toll on him, he’s tired and feeling grumpy. At least, the food on the plane was satisfying enough, a glimpse of what would be expecting him in Italy. He could already feel just how well he was going to eat during this trip.

The airport is not as big as Incheon, but Baekhyun still manages to get lost on the way out and not find the train station that will take him to Termini. He is already struggling. He stops in the middle of the hall, full of people and noise and he wants to go back, to call his boss, Junmyeon, apologize. But he can’t, he’s already here. His fingers play with the bracelet until he feels his anxiety lessen. He grips the handle of his luggage, when he spots an information post.

“ _Buonggiorno…_ ” Baekhyun uses up his Italian skills all at once in that single greeting. “English?” He asks.

The woman behind the counter smiles gently and greets him in English, relieving him of the burden of the language barrier. Though his English is very broken, he manages to ask for directions and find the right way to the train station. He asks the woman to mark the Hotel Azzurra on the map, hoping to make it easier to find once he’s there; although he’s quite sure he’ll get lost as soon as he hops off the train.

Termini is a big train station, maybe not as big as Seoul Station; yet, to Baekhyun it seems so and scarier, even. There are a lot people of different ages, of different classes, there’s much more diversity in the faces and in the clothing than what he’s used to. Not everyone looks Italian, and even with his untrained ears, he can hear other languages. He sees it now, how far he is from home and how different people in here are.

Two stops by metro later, he finds himself standing at a small brown door, with a sign saying Hotel Azzurra, with two stars next to the name, located on the second floor of a building. It’s an old one, lost in between the narrow streets of Rome. The labyrinth of Vias and Stradas reminds Baekhyun of the oldest parts of Seoul; each house next to each other, no space in between. He touches his bracelet once more before stepping in. The stairs are narrow, surrounding the not very spacious elevator. He gets on it, there’s barely any space for him and his luggage. He imagines what it would be like if he had come with his friends, they’d be all cramped inside of it.

There’s a man at the reception desk, wearing nothing but pants and a sleeveless undershirt. The TV is so loud that the man doesn’t realize Baekhyun has arrived. Suddenly, he shouts something at the it, making Baekhyun flinch. When he notices the guest, he starts apologizing in italian.

The room Baekhyun’s reserved is a small one with a double bed. There’s one desk on the corner and the bathroom seems very, very uncomfortable. The whole room is so typical, boring. Baekhyun thinks it’s good, since he won’t spend much time there. The best thing about the place is the window, from which the street can be seen. The man explains he will bring breakfast to his room in the morning and ask if coffee is okay. Baekhyun nods and remembers another Italian word as he says _grazie_.

It’s noon by now, so he thinks whether he should go out to find something to eat or maybe take a nap on the tempting bed. The growling of this stomach gives him the answer. There are probably many places to eat around the neighborhood, after all Colonna is one of the main districts or Rioni in downtown Rome. Checking the map, he sees the Fontana di Trevi is nearby. Maybe on the way, he’ll find a nice place for a pizza or some spaghetti, or maybe he’ll find other new foods to try.

Thinking of walking around Rome soothes his mind about this trip. He thinks of the many new experiences he will live in a country like Italy. And maybe the storm he left behind in Seoul will be different once he goes back after his time here. There might be some change in his life and he’ll wait for it.

The street, the sounds, the people, they’re all different. There’s life in every corner he turns. So many shops, stores, cafes; it all seems to be the set of a movie. He remembers a few movies shot in Rome. The streets are narrow like the ones in Seoul, but the buildings, the houses, they’re not familiar to Baekhyun’s eyes.

He finds the charm of the eternal city in every corner he turns. History is written in every wall and door. From the moment Baekhyun steps out the hotel, he has his camera in hand to take photos of everything he runs into, from a small balcony with pink flowers on an faint yellow wall to a small child having a _gelato_.

It doesn’t take him long to find the Fontana di Trevi. He’s reaching a corner when he notices a lot more people than what he’s been seeing. When he turns right, he sees it. It’s surrounded by a crowd, yet visible, entirely visible. Its size it’s so impressive Baekhyun can’t help himself from saying “wow” out loud. He wishes he had company, someone to share this moment with. 

He moves in between the crowd to reach the edge of the fountain. He takes a coin out of his pocket, it’s a 500 won one. He’s read that if he throws a coin in the water, not only will his wish come true but also he will return to Rome. He turns around holding the coin in his right hand. He throws it over his left shoulder, wishing to not be alone in this trip. 

With one last look at the fountain, he leaves, walking down another street. He wanders around the city. He doesn’t have a clear plan of what he wants to do. His feet take him through the Via di Propaganda until he reaches another place he knows. He doesn’t remember how, but he knows these steps. They’re called the Spanish Steps, according to the guide on his phone. The place is Piazza di Spagna and Via Condotti starts there. When he takes a look at that Via, he realizes why he knows it. His friend Zitao talks about italian brands annoyingly often and all of them have stores on that street. He finds the Gucci store and takes a selca in front of it. He sends it and a winky face to Zitao.

When he turns back to the stairs, his eyes are drawn to a guy sitting on the last few steps with a guitar on his hands. His face is hidden beneath a black snapback; what is exposed are his arms as he’s wearing a sleeveless shirt. The guitar case is open on the floor, with some euros scattered inside. So focused on the fingers running along the strings, Baekhyun fails to notice the song the busker is singing is in korean. The deep but soft voice of the performer curls naturally around the words, bringing the nostalgia of the lyrics to life. Baekhyun hasn’t heard this song before but he finds himself swinging along to the melody.

When the song ends, Baekhyun realizes there’s a crowd around the busker. People clap and some leave more money before leaving. The guy thanks in english and italian. His voice is even deeper when he speaks.

The moment the performer lifts his head up, Baekhyun is shocked. A really handsome face was hidden. His wide grin shows off a dimple on his cheek, but what calls Baekhyun’s attention the most are his eyes. He’s got big round eyes that meet Baekhyun’s as he looks at his audience. Baekhyun’s stomach flips in nervousness.

Not one to be shy, Baekhyun greets him. “Hello,” he says in korean. The guy’s grin only gets bigger. 

“Hello,” is his reply.

Baekhyun never thought he would find another korean guy in Italy, least of all, like this.

“I’ve never heard that song before. It’s really nice.” Baekhyun gestures at the guitar.

“It’s not mine. Sometimes I do play my own songs, though,” the guy explains as he takes the money from the guitar case. He arranges it and puts it in his pocket.

“What’s it called?”

The guy places the guitar inside the case and zips it. “Wi Ing Wi Ing.” He takes off his snapback– he’s got big ears– and runs his fingers through his black hair, then puts on the hat backwards. He really is handsome. “It’s one of my favorites.”

“It’s really, really nice.” Baekhyun stands there awkwardly not knowing how to ask what the guy is doing here busking in Rome.

“Sit down with me,” the guy suggests patting his side. Baekhyun does so. “What’s your name?”

“Baekhyun. And yours?”

“I’m Chanyeol.” He bows lightly after introducing himself and extends his hand for Baekhyun to shake. He’s got large hands that fit Baekhyun’s well.

“Say, Chanyeol. What are you doing here?”

“I’m actually on vacation. But since I take my guitar everywhere with me, I decided this would be a nice way to get more money for the trip.” He explains as he pats his pocket.

“That’s a really good idea!” Baekhyun nods amusedly. “If I had a talent like yours, I’d do the same.”

It’s past afternoon and the piazza is more crowded now than it was before. There’s more people sitting on the steps. Different languages can be heard, but they’re not loud enough to cover Baekhyun’s hungry stomach growling.

“Oops,” he says with a shy smile.

“There’s a restaurant nearby that I wanted to try today. Wanna go?” Chanyeol’s smile is what makes Baekhyun agree.

When Chanyeol stands, Baekhyun gets to see his height. “You’re a giant!”

“No. You’re just a midget,” he says sticking his tongue at him. He lifts the guitar case over his shoulder and starts walking. “Come on!”

The playful banter is comfortable to Baekhyun. He enjoys spending time with someone who can takes his comments and talk back at him, and Chanyeol seems to be just the type. Shaking his head with a smile, he falls into step with the musician. Chanyeol asks him which places he has already been to and, when Baekhyun says it’s his first day in Rome, he starts telling him about the city and all the places he should go to. Chanyeol sounds like a guide, explaining the history of the Colosseum, where the best _pizza al taglio_ he’s eaten is or the best hour to queueing for the Vatican Museums. Baekhyun nods, trying to take mental notes of everything. 

They arrive at a small restaurant hidden from the public eye. Once they step inside, the only language they can hear is italian. Chanyeol winks at Baekhyun when he sees the surprised look on his face. Baekhyun considers keeping Chanyeol as his guide all through Rome. 

When the waiter starts talking to them in italian, Chanyeol asks if he could speak english. Though their english sounds broken they manage to communicate and Chanyeol orders a pizza with _prosciutto crudo_ and fresh arugula for himself. “What would you like?” He looks at Baekhyun.

“I don’t know. Isn’t one pizza too much for one person?” To Baekhyun, Chanyeol is still a stranger and he doesn’t know how much he can eat. But he thinks that two pizzas is too much for both of them.

“Not with italian pizzas. They’re very thin and you can eat a whole one by yourself,” Chanyeol explains with a cheeky grin. Then, he points at another table where a man is eating one with a lot of cheese.

“Oh! Ok…” Baekhyun reads the menu, but doesn’t understand much. “I’ll have what he’s having.” He says gesturing at the man near them.

“ _Una pizza ai quattro formaggi e una di prosciutto crudo e rucola. Da bere?_ ” The waiter checks the order followed by a drinking motion.

“To drink?” Chanyeol looks at Baekhyun who shrugs. “Cola? Is it ok?” And orders two colas. Once the waiter is gone, he focuses back on Baekhyun. “So… if you don’t perform, what do you do?”

“I can sing though. But without music it feels weird to me.”

Chanyeol smiles at him. “You could sing while I play the guitar one of these days. Until when will you stay in Rome?” 

“To be honest, I don’t know.” Baekhyun takes a look around the place. It’s calm, quiet, exactly what he needed when he bought the ticket to Rome. It’s nice to get away from home. “This trip was sort of rushed. I’m not sure which cities I should visit.” His mind wanders back to the morning in Seoul when it all went to hell.

“Why?” Chanyeol seems genuinely interested in Baekhyun’s story, but he’s still a stranger. So, Baekhyun keeps quiet. Luckily for him, Chanyeol seems to be perceptive. “I’m going to Naples in a few days. Let me know if you want to join me. Oh!” He startles Baekhyun. “Do you have kakaotalk? We can communicate with that!” He smiles expectantly at him.

Before they can exchange IDs, the waiter arrives with their order and they start to enjoy the food. Chanyeol was right, one pizza is enough for one. Their conversation turns once again to Rome and Italy. Chanyeol names all the cities he’s planning on going to. He’s got his whole itinerary scheduled, he’s got the train pass, hostels booked. Meanwhile, Baekhyun is lost in a country he doesn’t know much about. Chanyeol insists on adding him on kakaotalk. “Even if we don’t travel together, I can help you with anything you need.” And it leaves Baekhyun wondering if Chanyeol and him could get along well enough to become traveling buddies. He finds the idea very appealing.

After their late lunch is over, they part ways. Chanyeol never stops telling Baekhyun not to be afraid of asking for anything. He’s happy to be of help. They can even go out to eat again another day. Chanyeol makes Baekhyun feel comfortable and a pleasant warmth travels through Baekhyun’s body when he takes one last look at Chanyeol.

 

Baekhyun spends the following morning queueing at the Vatican to enter the museums. He is a little bored by himself. There are people of many nationalities surrounding him. A big, loud family stands in front of him. The woman smiles at him and he responds with a smile of his own. She decides to make small talk, asking him in broken english where he is from. Baekhyun is a social butterfly who engages easily into the conversation in spite of his lacking english skills. There’s nothing a smile cannot express. All through the line, Baekhyun learns about this family from Spain and how to make a true Valencian paella.

The Museums turn out to be impressive, not just because of the art and historical things inside of them, but also because of the architecture. Baekhyun follows the set route being amazed by whatever he finds in each room of the building. He’s never paid much attention to art, but it’s entirely different to be at a place that has so many different and beautiful things. He’s particularly surprised by how much he enjoys Renaissance sculptures. 

He didn’t read much about the place before going in; he just knew it was one of the places to visit in Rome. So, nothing prepares him for the Sistine Chapel. Its high ceiling is what captures his attention the most. He wants to take a picture so badly, but it’s not allowed. He follows the frescos with his eyes while he listens to the audio guide that tells him the story behind each work, how it was painted and other interesting details. 

The following audio describes the most impressive fresco he’s ever seen. Spread over one of the walls, it’s The Last Judgement. Baekhyun greatly wants someone with whom to talk about it. He wishes Chanyeol were by his side, but he isn’t. The spanish woman is, yet their conversation is nothing but an exchange of wow’s. When he leaves the Chapel, he thinks about messaging Chanyeol.

He doesn’t yet. Baekhyun walks around the building to go to the Piazza San Pietro where he takes all the photos he couldn’t take inside the Chapel. He steps inside the Basilica to be amazed once again. He wanders around it, checking everything that Chanyeol told him to see. Even if Chanyeol isn’t physically there with Baekhyun, his deep voice telling him about the history of the place is.

After he’s seen everything he wanted, he heads out. There are no clouds and it’s noon; the summer heat is too much for Baekhyun. Fanning himself, he leaves the Piazza behind and searches for a store to buy something to drink. His phone beeps when he’s deciding where to go to.

 _Menu of the day: tramezzino di tonno. Do you eat tuna?_ , says Chanyeol’s text. Baekhyun laughs out loud. He doesn’t bother replying and finds someone to ask where he can buy that. When he does, the communication is through gestures and bad pronunciation. There’s a store nearby.

 _Tramezzino di tonno_ turns out to be a simple soft, white bread, triangular sandwich, filled with tuna and mayonnaise. One is not enough for him, Baekhyun buys two. As soon as he has them he takes a photo and sends it to Chanyeol. His reply is a selca of Chanyeol eating one himself. He’s wearing another snapback today. He looks cute and Baekhyun is tempted to comment on it, but refrains from doing so.

Since he still has time, he asks Chanyeol how to go from the Vatican to the Colosseum. The reply is quick and clear, with detailed instructions. Guide Chanyeol proves to be a reliable one, Baekhyun thinks as he heads to the street where he can take the bus. The ride isn’t very long, but enough to see different parts of the city. The more Baekhyun gets in the heart of the city to see the narrow streets full of history, the more he falls in love and realizes what a good decision it was to come here.

Soon enough, he’s getting off at the right stop– Chanyeol gave him the precise place the stop was in, because the distance between each stop is too long sometimes. Turning around a corner, he sees the impressive building he’s used to seeing only in pictures. The Colosseum’s enormous, making Baekhyun feel even smaller than he already does. It shocks him to see such an ancient building so well kept over time. He stands there in awe, looking up before he gets ran into by an italian guy who doesn’t even apologize.

Baekhyun starts walking around the place, looking for the entrance. A few meters later, he finds it. There are a lot of people waiting to get in, which makes him groan. He was hoping to find it a little less crowded, since usually people go to these sort of places in the morning, as Chanyeol has said. He can’t complain much, though. He’s in Rome and he’s on holidays. Sighing, he stands at the end of the line and waits.

Meanwhile, he checks his phone. He was lucky to find wifi to communicate with Chanyeol before, but now the phone’s signal is dead. He’s tempted to check the news in Korea, even though he knows he shouldn’t. When he thinks back to the disaster caused by the investigation he was in charge of, he wants to curl up in a corner and disappear from the world. Looking up at the ceiling of the Colosseum as he advances in line, he realizes that disappearing is exactly what he’s done.

He decides to set the camera on selca mode and starts distracting himself by taking nice pictures he’ll upload later when he goes back to the hotel. It’s not long before he can buy the ticket to go inside and finally see what the Colosseum is like from inside. Big stone walls surround him as he takes the stairs that will take him inside, making it darker than it should be at this time of the day. When he reaches the last step, there’s light at the end of a short hallway.

Gladiators came out from the lower entrances straight to the arena. The entrance Baekhyun is walking through takes him straight to what used to be the seating area. All that’s left is the structure, no more seats. From where Baekhyun stands, he can see the Arena and the exposed underground tunnels. Baekhyun remembers all the times he’s seen the Colosseum in images and how little interest he had in it. But now that he’s standing here, he’s fascinated. The whole place captures his attention.

He almost doesn’t want to leave, but the tour is over and he wants to visit the Forum. As he walks on the way out, he lets his hands run over the stones on his sides. Baekhyun feels lost in time. 

By the Arc of Constantine, he notices a familiar figure. Baekhyun recognizes the guitar and shakes his head, smiling straight at the musician. Chanyeol notices him and lightly bows his head in greeting, yet he doesn’t stop playing. This time the song is in english. Baekhyun doesn’t recognize it, though he does enjoy it. He stays by Chanyeol’s side waiting for him to finish. Chanyeol turns from time to time to smile at him. It’s interesting to be standing on the other side and seeing the faces of the people that stop to listen. Chanyeol’s charming ways keep the eyes of his audience on him. 

After he’s done and the money is collected, Chanyeol thanks again in english and italian and turns towards Baekhyun.

“Hi!” The musician greets him.

“I didn’t know you were here!” Baekhyun can’t help feeling pleased, though.

Chanyeol chuckles. “I wasn’t,” he replies, “but I thought it’d be nice to run into each other again.” He winks.

“I know. My company is precious,” Baekhyun says with a flair of his hand.

Chanyeol’s deep laughter is louder this time. “Don’t flatter yourself!” He pushes Baekhyun to the side. It feels natural, like friends that have known each other for a long time. “I just thought you might need help in getting by, since you’re a poor, little soul lost in Rome.” Taking one look at his watch, he adds. “The Forum’s closing now. We can’t go in. I wanted to take you to the Domus Aurea, too. But it’s only open on weekends and I won’t be here by then.” He takes off his snapback and runs his fingers through his hair. Baekhyun wonders if it feels as soft as it looks.

“What does Guide Chanyeol suggest we do now, then?” Baekhyun mockingly asks.

Chanyeol’s first answer is a wide grin. “How about a restaurant in the Trastevere? It’s getting late.”

“Lead the way.” Baekhyun extends his hands to the side as he stands up.

“It’s the other way,” Chanyeol lets him know.

“That’s why you’re the leader and I’m nothing but a mere follower.”

Chanyeol laughs once again and picks up his guitar case. Ready to go, they head to the one of the side streets. Chanyeol asks him about which place he’s liked the most until now. Baekhyun starts a detailed explanation of the people he’s met and the bench where he sat down to have lunch. Baekhyun enjoyed those little things more, although he still has the image of the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling engraved in his mind. 

They choose a small restaurant, a little hidden from the usual touristic route of the district.

“How do you find these places?” Baekhyun is very amused by Chanyeol’s knowledge.

“I came very prepared. I asked people on the internet about the best places, I found blogs, I searched far and wide for best places to be in Italy,” He explains as he makes a big gesture with his arms after they sat down. “I even made some friends. I’m gonna have dinner at a couple’s home in Naples. The man is fluent in korean. That’s my favorite thing about traveling, the people I meet.” He takes off his snapback and runs his fingers through his hair, while thanking the waiter who hands them their menus.

“Wow! You’re very impressive,” Baekhyun says holding the menu but not even paying attention to it. He notices Chanyeol’s ears turning red. “So! What’s the best dish here?”

“I don’t know,” Chanyeol says. “Have you tried pasta yet?” Baekhyun shakes his head. “You should.”

Baekhyun ends up picking _Spaghetti alla Carbonara_ , a sauce with eggs, bacon, cheese and black pepper, while Chanyeol is a little bit more daring, ordering _Tagliatelle al Pesto_. “I’m not kissing anyone tonight,” he says after explaining it’s made of cheese, basil and garlic. Although Baekhyun laughs, the joke only serves to bring his attention to Chanyeol’s mouth. He tries to distract himself with his phone, hopping his sudden nervousness isn’t noticeable.

His phone tells him there’s available wifi and he finds the password written on the wall. He’s very tempted to search for SM Entertainment on Naver and see if there are any news. There shouldn’t be. But Baekhyun keeps hoping.

“Messaging your girlfriend?” Chanyeol asks when he sees him.

Baekhyun is quick to shake his head. “No. It’s nothing,” he tells Chanyeol as he places the phone back on the table.

Chanyeol tilts his head and narrows his eyes at him. “You look kinda worried.”

“Work stuff.” 

“You never told me what you do.” There’s an implicit question in Chanyeol’s statement and in the way he looks at Baekhyun.

“I’m a journalist,” is the answer. Baekhyun doesn’t dare yet to say where he works, though. “I’m a writer for a small newspaper,” he lies. He doesn’t know much about Chanyeol yet, nor how much he knows about YTN, aside from what a common korean would. Chanyeol’s trip started recently, so he probably has heard about the YTN and SM Entertainment’s issue. “What about you?”

“I’m a composer mainly. I work at an entertainment company,” he explains while he curls the _tagliatelle_ around his fork with the help of the spoon. “SM Entertainment,” he adds.

Baekhyun feels cold spread all through his body. The blood drains from his face. He focuses on his food, as he wonders if he should be honest and tell Chanyeol where he really works.. Chanyeol might be just an employee and not hate Baekhyun after finding out the truth.

“Do you like it? Working there?” Baekhyun asks.

Chanyeol shrugs. “It pays the bills.” He sips the glass filled with the wine they’ve ordered. “It’s a bit restricting, though. I have to write the style they ask for. If Trap is in, my next song has to be the ultimate Trap hit. A bit disappointing, to be honest.”

Baekhyun’s eyes move between Chanyeol and his phone. Before he can stop himself, he types “SME” on the search bar. The news sites start flowing instantly. There are a few mentions of the last group’s comeback. Scrolling down, Baekhyun finds a title about the JYJ Bill. He gulps.

“I’d like to get my own studio one day. I want to write and produce my own work,” Chanyeol continues. “This trip is giving me a lot of inspiration.”

Baekhyun opens the link.

“Am I boring you?” Chanyeol startles him.

“No, no, no. Sorry,” Baekhyun hastily apologizes. “Keep going.”

“What are you reading?” Chanyeol stretches his neck to lean over, but Baekhyun is quick to lock his phone.

“I want to keep updated, even if I’m on vacation,” he says while pushing his phone to the side.

“You shouldn’t. This is your chance to rest.” Chanyeol smiles. “My invitation to Naples is still open,” He changes the subject.

Baekhyun has been considering it. Although, he’s just met Chanyeol, he thinks he can trust him and be with him a while longer. Besides, he doesn’t have an idea of where to go next. He smiles and nods. Chanyeol’s answering grin makes him smile wider too. 

 

For the next few days, Baekhyun goes to places Chanyeol recommends and later meets him at a random point. Baekhyun doesn’t believe Chanyeol when the musician insists he was already there and denies heading to the place after Baekhyun tells him where he’s going or asks about it. Sometimes, Baekhyun does it on purpose, though. Thanks to Chanyeol, Baekhyun learns every corner of Rome the way he would never have done on his own.

They usually have dinner in places suggested by Guide Chanyeol. There’s only one night where they don’t eat at a restaurant; they buy _pizza al taglio_ and sit by the river, watching the lights of the city reflected in the water.

Chanyeol makes Baekhyun’s days more exciting. Though, he can’t stop worrying about his job. He tries not to check his phone when he’s with Chanyeol, but he can’t help it. The strong need to see if anything new shows up makes him lose track of his conversation with Chanyeol at times.

 

**NAPOLI**

After spending the morning going to the most known places in the city, walking around the Piazza del Plebiscito and visiting the church, San Francesco di Paola, they find a small place for a quick lunch. Chanyeol carries his guitar with him; it’s like another appendage or another friend in their tour around Italy. Her name is Matilda, Chanyeol’s told Baekhyun. 

In Piazza dei Martiri, by the one of the lions of the monument, Chanyeol and Baekhyun stand. The guitar case is at their feet, while Chanyeol plays the instrument. Baekhyun’s english is not very fluent when speaking, but when he’s singing, he’s good. Together they decided on a song they both knew. When Baekhyun suggested Love Song, Chanyeol picked up his guitar and started playing the right chords.

The Piazza they are in has enough people for a small audience to form. Yet, it isn’t in the busiest part of the city, so there’s not too much noise to drown Baekhyun’s smooth voice. They’re still getting to know each other. With this song, they’re testing the waters to see if they make a good match. Chanyeol wanted to see if they were musically compatible and Baekhyun laughed too hard at the seriousness in his face.

It doesn’t take them long to find the right flow, surprising both of them how well they actually sound together. When Chanyeol joins Baekhyun in the chorus, more people stop and listen. There’s harmony in their voices, a chemistry that becomes visible when they look at each other in the middle of the song. Baekhyun feels content when his eyes meet Chanyeol’s. 

After the song comes to an end, they collect the money, thanking the audience.

“Let’s go buy a wine bottle for tonight,” Chanyeol says after counting it.

“Oh!” Baekhyun forgot they were having dinner at Chanyeol’s friends’ house.

“Why? What did you wanna do with the money?” Chanyeol asks teasingly. “Buy more eyeliner? You have enough of that.”

Baekhyun’s laugh is sarcastic. “No, I just…” He checks the hour on his phone. “I forgot we had dinner.”

If he’s being honest, Baekhyun feels awkward about the situation. He’s only just met Chanyeol and he’s going to a stranger’s house. Even if there’s something about Chanyeol that makes Baekhyun trust him, he can’t say the same thing about the couple. There’s also the fear of not liking the food. Baekhyun is very picky about his food and he isn’t sure if tonight’s dinner will fit his taste. Anxiety builds inside of him just thinking about how the night is going to go.

Chanyeol’s friends live in an old apartment. The building has a big courtyard in the middle and most of the apartments face it. When Chanyeol and Baekhyun walk in, they can see very little of each small balcony since it’s already dark. But the patio has enough light to let them see the plants. Vito, Chanyeol’s friend, had opened the electronic door from above and instructed them to walk to the end of the patio, turn left and go up the narrow stairs. Baekhyun finds it charming even if there’s not much to see. He likes how different the place seems to any of his friends’ houses.

When they reach the right floor, Vito is holding the door open. Loudly greeting them in korean, he lets them in. Vito is a short, chubby man, not very old, but older than Baekhyun and Chanyeol. His face is the definition of sympathy. Chanyeol wasn’t lying when he said he was fluent in korean. Surprised, Baekhyun can’t stop bowing and thanking them for the invitation.

His wife, Rita, walks into the living room to greet them the italian way with one kiss on each cheek. Baekhyun can feel his cheeks go red at the sudden intimacy. Chanyeol explains to him that italians greet like that when they’re close with each other. Even if Baekhyun’s just met them, the woman feels comfortable enough to greet them like that. Baekhyun doesn’t mind it much when he sees how welcoming the couple is. Chanyeol hands Vito the wine and they’re lead to the couch to take a seat.

“How’s your trip going?” Vito sounds really excited.

Chanyeol has a wide grin on his face. He’s not wearing a snapback tonight. “Great! The more I see of Italy, the more I fall in love with it.”

“I’m glad you like my country. And you?” Vito turns his attention to Baekhyun.

“I…” Baekhyun doesn’t know if he should tell Vito that he had no expectations about this trip until he met Chanyeol. “I really like it. I also have great company with me,” he says glancing at Chanyeol, whose dimple becomes visible.

“Food will be ready soon,” Rita announces as she comes from the kitchen holding a big plate with fresh fish. Vito translates her words. “I went to the market today to buy… _Come se dice spigola in inglese?_ ”

“Do you know what _Sea bass_ is?” Vito changes between korean and english very easily and then speaks in italian with his wife. To say Baekhyun is surprised is an understatement.

The fresh sea bass lies on top of bright green lettuce leaves. The presentation of the dish makes it more tempting than the actual food. Baekhyun is not a big fan of fish, he hopes that at least it’ll be well seasoned. Nevertheless, he nods and smiles at Rita.

Soon they’re guided to the nicely decorated dining table. The tableware is cream colored and the napkins are perfectly placed on the side of each dish. The detail and dedication that, most probably, Rita put in the preparation of tonight’s dinner is admirable.

Chanyeol, Baekhyun and Vito fall into a pleasant conversation about the years that Vito lived in South Korea, where he learned the language. Baekhyun usually is very chatty with new people, yet this time he stands back and lets Chanyeol be the sociable one. He keeps quiet and listens attentively to what they’re saying. At times, he adds his two cents to the conversation, which earns him an appreciative smile from Chanyeol.

When his mind starts to leave the conversation between the two other men, it focuses once again on his phone. In the last few days, there were no news regarding SM Entertainment and its involvement in the rejection of the JYJ Bill by a Supreme Court judge. When Baekhyun followed the investigation as a producer of YTN, he didn’t think he was going to get in such a big mess. Of course, SM Entertainment’s response was expected, but Baekhyun had hoped that the proof was going to be enough. Yet, the judge made no public comments about it and the issue ended up getting resolved in a private office, hidden from the public eye. That’s what bothered Baekhyun the most, how all of his work became nonexistent after an agreement between SM Entertainment and YTN.

Naver is open on his phone before he realizes what he’s doing. He keeps searching for news. When he’s about to type in the search bar, he feels a kick on his shin and looks up to find Chanyeol pointedly staring at him. Baekhyun apologetically lowers his head and puts his phone away for the rest of the night.

“Dinner!” Rita’s cheerful voice announces as she enters holding a platter of what looks like pasta. “ _Primo piatto!_ ”

Baekhyun gulps down when he sees that the first dish is spaghetti with zucchini. Although, starting dinner like this was not something he expected, he accepts the plate served for him.

“Looks great!” Chanyeol’s cheerful voice says. “We’re going to eat well!” He adds once everyone’s plate is full. 

Baekhyun keeps his eyes on the dish as he takes the fork in his hand. First, he moves the zucchini around and pokes a piece. The green vegetables repulse him, so he only curls the noodles around his fork. The moment they touch his tongue, he has to fight his gag reflex. He chews carefully and struggles to swallow as his throat keeps trying to close.

After he manages to swallow, he hopes he was discreet enough. When he looks up, he meets their hosts’ expectant faces. Humming and smiling, he tries to pretend that he liked it and hopes it’s believable. One glance at Chanyeol and his pursed lips tell him it isn’t.

“Do you not like it, Baekhyun-sshi?” Vito asks.

“Uhm..,” Baekhyun doesn’t want to sound rude. “I’m sorry. I really can’t eat zucchinis.” He doesn’t tell them how much he hates how the taste lingers at the back of his tongue.

“It’s really good!” Chanyeol’s exclamation steals the attention from Baekhyun’s statement. But only for a few seconds.

“It’s okay. There’s more food coming,” Vito assures him. Luckily, he sounds understanding.

Later comes the _mozzarrella di bufala_ , a special type of mozzarella, accompanied by a garden rocket and lettuce salad. When Baekhyun pinches the little white ball, he sees how it squishes and white water pours out of it. It doesn’t look appealing at all, and Baekhyun’s dirty mind reminds him of another white substance he’d very much prefer. This time, he keeps his face as impassive as possible. It’s a hard task. At least, the taste is not as strong as the zucchini. Despite the weird, elastic texture, it’s edible. Baekhyun gives himself a mental pat in the back when he sees that Vito and Rita look more pleased with his reaction.

There’s only one person in the room Baekhyun can’t fool. Chanyeol shakes his head in disapproval and keeps the conversation going with Vito.

Finally, the last dish of the meal is served. The sea bass is presented on the same plate it was before, but it’s now cooked. The smell is nice. Basil, garlic, olives and olive oil were used for seasoning, Rita explains to them and Vito translates.

“ _Mangiate_!” Vito gestures towards the served dishes. Baekhyun carefully takes a small bite. The fish is so tender that it almost feels like it melts inside Baekhyun’s mouth.The olive taste on his tongue surprises him and makes him moan pleasantly.

“How do you say ‘It’s really good’ in Italian?” He asks Vito.

“Molto buono!”

Soon the meal is over and what could have been a nightmare for Baekhyun ends up being an enjoyable time. He finds himself more interested in participating in the conversation. Chanyeol doesn’t look at him for the rest of the time and Baekhyun can’t help feeling bad. He doesn’t like the idea that he’s disappointed Chanyeol.

When Rita picks up the dishes from the table, Baekhyun makes to stand up and help, yet the woman stops him. 

“Thank you for such a nice dinner,” Chanyeol tells Vito sincerely.

“It was nothing. We thank you for coming here.” Vito smiles. “Don’t think this is over. We still have _sfogliatella_!”

“THERE’S MORE FOOD?” Baekhyun apologizes instantly for his outburst. 

“It’s the italian way.” Vito finds no offense and laughs cheekily.

Rita comes back from the kitchen with some shell-shaped pastries. The baked dough breaks as soon as it enters Baekhyun’s mouth and the almond tasting filling spreads on his tongue. It’s delicious. Baekhyun’s always had a sweet tooth. This pastry is the way to his heart, he thinks as he lets the sweetness invade his palate.

“Thank you so, so much for this,” he speaks even before fully swallowing what it’s in his mouth. It’s Rita’s time to chuckle and smile at him.

Baekhyun takes a quick look at Chanyeol, who looks less tense now than he did before.

“Now that the meal is over,” Vito says as he stands up and heads to a cabinet, “let’s have a drink.” He uncaps a bottle of a dark liquor and then pulls out four small glasses. “ _Fernet_ ,” he explains, handing one glass to everyone. 

The liquor is strong and bitter. Baekhyun is used to the delayed taste of soju, you swallow it but the taste of alcohol comes later. But the Fernet is strong from the start. It also has a higher percentage of alcohol than soju.

Before leaving Vito and Rita’s home, they thank them one last time. They keep telling them they’re invited to their houses if they ever go to Korea. Vito hands them a bottle of Fernet, while Rita places a plastic bag of oregano. 

As soon as they cross the door of the building and head to their hotel, Chanyeol speaks to Baekhyun for the first time since they had the first dish.

“You didn’t have to come.” His voice sounds strained as if he’s repressing his reaction, trying to keep calm. “If you didn’t want to eat with them, you could’ve just told me.”

“I wanted to!” Baekhyun flails his arms and the bag almost flies away. “I really wanted to,” he says a little bit more calmly. “I just really hate zucchinis. I didn’t want to disrespect them. But I absolutely hate zucchinis!”

“And the phone! You’re on vacation! Can’t you disconnect yourself for a while?” Baekhyun can’t say anything, he has no excuse. He feels embarrassed. The emptiness and silence of the streets fits the mood of them both as they keep walking.

 

**POMPEII**

They walk under the blazing sun, stepping over stones that are a thousand years old. It’s a really hot day. The tourists around them are searching for some shadow to rest under. Some women were smart enough to take fans with them. Meanwhile, Baekhyun feels the drops of sweat trailing down his face from his temple to his jaw.

The city is impressive, or it would be, if it weren’t for the fact that they only brought one small bottle of water and it’s empty already. Luckily, as Chanyeol’s mentioned, there are taps scattered around the place.

“There must be one around here.” Chanyeol wipes the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand.

“I’m gonna die if we don’t find one soon.” Baekhyun whines.

Chanyeol’s chuckle does nothing to quench Baekhyun’s thirst. “Hey! Look at the brightside! We’re in Pompeii.”

“And if we die, it won’t be because of a volcano.” Baekhyun deadpans staring at the Mount Vesuvius. This only makes Chanyeol laugh harder.

“What a little ray of sunshine you are.” He shakes his head.

“I’m tired and thirsty and sweaty and my feet hurt!”

Baekhyun’s complaining might have been the last drop for Chanyeol because he steps ahead and turns around to face him. “No one is forcing you to be here. You came here because you wanted to. If you don’t, you can always go that way.” He gestures at where the entrance of the city is. “And take the train back to Naples, while I stay here, because I want to be here, because I’ve dreamed about this place for a really long time. I won’t let you ruin this for me!”

Not used to this sudden outburst coming from the cheerful guy he met back in the streets of Rome, Baekhyun takes a step back. He feels guilty. He doesn’t want to make Chanyeol have a bad time, if he’s being honest. He likes Chanyeol. He might be a bit too easily excited, but he’s nice and he makes good company in a foreign country. His handsome face is a bonus.

“Sorry.” His apology is nothing but a whisper. Chanyeol catches it nonetheless.

“It’s ok…”

The air is a bit awkward– and still too hot for Baekhyun’s liking. They keep walking until they find a tap. There are people around it, but it doesn’t work. There’s no water there. Baekhyun sighs in defeat, but says nothing; not daring to annoy Chanyeol any longer.

But the other guy looks disappointed too. He pulls out the map they were given at the entrance from his back pocket and starts looking for something. Suddenly, his face lights up.

“There’s a campsite at the edge of the city. We could try there.” He suggests. Baekhyun only nods in agreement.

The walk to the campsite is silent. The city that surrounds them seems as quiet as them, even though there are other tourists. Every stone is white or light grey; the houses are all empty. The further they get from the rest of the people, the less lively the city seems.

Baekhyun doesn’t complain anymore. His throat doesn’t even let him. While Chanyeol walks a few steps ahead, Baekhyun lacks the strength to follow him close. His legs are starting to feel heavy now. He looks down at the street he’s walking on. Thousands of romans have walked it in the past, millions of tourists. And here’s Baekhyun, about to die of dehydration and lay down to rest eternally on Italian ground.

“Come on, Baek! We’re almost there!” Chanyeol’s deep voice pulls him out of his delirium. When he looks up, the guy is beaming at him, as if nothing happened a few minutes prior. The smile is honest and wide and it helps Baekhyun start walking faster. It also brings a smile on his face.  
Soon enough, the campsite is visible, far but reachable. The feeling of seeing it is that of a man that’s found an oasis in the desert.

“Yes!” Baekhyun’s voice is hoarse from the dryness.

Chanyeol pats his back and guides him towards the place.

There are groups of people also heading there, coming from different streets of the city. All with one goal in mind: the tap that’s in between the trees in the middle of the site. Chanyeol’s long legs are very helpful for him. He just has to stretch them a little wider in his walk and he’ll reach the spot faster. But Baekhyun can’t be bothered by it. With the fresh water so close, he speeds up and surpasses Chanyeol. He ends up reaching the tap first before anyone. He feels better than that time he earned a gold medal in the Hapkido National Championships.

A large stream of water flows as soon as he opens the tap. He cups his hands together and gathers enough water. The moment it touches his lips he feels relief. He greedily starts drinking more and more.

“Don’t drink it all, Baek!” With a bump with his hip, Chanyeol pushes Baekhyun away from the tap and starts drinking himself.

But Baekhyun doesn’t whine nor complain. He’s satisfied. He just stands on the side while looking at Chanyeol. The musician is covering his mouth with hands, just like Baekhyun did. When he pulls them away to get more water, his chin is dripping. Then, he splashes some on his face. The water trails down his face to his neck as he swallows and his adam’s apple bobs up and down. Baekhyun starts to feel thirsty again. He shakes his head to stop staring. He takes out the bottle out of his backpack and refills it.

“Ready?” Chanyeol asks rolling up the sleeves of his t-shirt, bringing attention to his thick biceps. Baekhyun remembers he said he played the drums. He hopes one day he’ll get to see him live.  
They head back to the city of Pompeii. It looks livelier. There are more sounds around them. If Baekhyun pays close attention, he can hear birds singing. 

Chanyeol once again takes the lead, telling him he wants to go to the amphitheatre. Baekhyun follows him much more willingly than before. Chanyeol keeps proving again and again that he’s a good guide to have.

When they get to the amphitheatre, there’s a light in Chanyeol’s eyes that Baekhyun has learnt to see only in the musician. He doesn’t think he’s seen someone who expresses and spreads so much joy. Chanyeol steps inside touching reverently each stone of the wall. It catches Baekhyun off guard how deep into it the other guy seems.

“I’ve always wanted to come here…” His usually loud and deep voice sounds breathy. They walk to the center of the place. “I can’t believe I’m here.” He chokes.

“Why?” Baekhyun wonders what could make Chanyeol feel so much for the place.

“When I was in high school, I watched a movie called School of Rock.” Chanyeol starts.

“Oh! I saw that one too!”

“It was awesome! I love Jack Black.” He takes a look around. “Anyway, after that I wanted to learn more about music. I learned how to play the drums. Since my father used to work in music when he was younger, he had many instruments.”

They walk around the arena of the amphitheatre side by side. Chanyeol’s eyes are open wide, seemingly trying to take everything in, taking a mental picture of the place.

“And instead of buying me a guitar, he bought me a video. He told me it was something that he had loved when he first had seen it.” Chanyeol continues. “It was a rock band playing in this same place. Right here in the middle. Where we’re standing.” He makes a wide gesture to the ground. “Pink Floyd has performed in this very same place. At first, I didn’t know who they were. But then I realized that they were named in School of Rock and that I already knew a few of their songs.” He grins at Baekhyun. The sun is in no way as blinding as that smile. “I’m standing where Pink Floyd stood.” 

The rest of the afternoon, they walk some more around the city. They go to find the House of the Tragic Poet. It’s empty; everything that was left was taken to the Museum of Naples. There are only the walls standing. But on the floor of the vestibule they find a mosaic of a dog. _Cave Canem_ , it reads, beware of the dog. This time it’s Baekhyun who has his picture taken. He gets down on all fours right next to it.

Later, they visit the Lupanar, the wolf den, also known as the brothel. Like a pair of elementary school kids they try to stifle their giggles when they see the frescos representing different sexual positions and situations. Chanyeol reads his guide, which explains about the graffiti on the walls.

 

**VENEZIA**

The city of Venice is a labyrinth of canals, bridges and _sottoporteghi_. There are bridges that are simply the continuation of a street; others connect two different streets. And others, the ones Baekhyun likes the most, lead to the door of a house. Instead of stairs at the entrance, some houses have got a short bridge.

Soon after arriving, Baekhyun and Chanyeol discover that the best thing you can do in Venice is to get lost. There are signs on the walls of some buildings that guide you to the Rialto or to the Piazza San Marco. But it’s best to just walk.

Unintentionally, they end up at the main Piazza after a while. They enter through one of the side streets by the Basilica di San Marco. The square is crowded, full of people of different nationalities, and a lot of pigeons. Baekhyun hates pigeons as much as he hates zuchinnis. Meanwhile, Chanyeol insists on searching his backpack for crackers to feed the birds. Luckily, Baekhyun has eaten them and cannot hide the relief in his smile.

“Let´s go see the rest of the piazza.” Baekhyun’s suggestion succeeds in distracting Chanyeol from the pigeons.

“Oh! The cafès!” Chanyeol has the energy and excitement of a child sometimes. “Did you know the Cafès have concerts in the open? They each have bands that play famous songs. And they play in turns. Let’s sit down at the Florian!!” His words are accompanied by a slap on Baekhyun’s back that makes him stumble forward.

“No. I didn’t know.” Baekhyun replies.

The prices of the Cafè are too high for their budget and it’s too early for the band to be playing at the moment. Chanyeol’s disappointment pulls at Baekhyun’s heart strings. He suggests they keep walking towards the Grand Canal, passing by a monument. Chanyeol explains the lion on top of it represents the city. Baekhyun pulls out his phone and makes Chanyeol stand there. He squats down to take a picture of Chanyeol side by side with the column. He looks like a giant who is the same height as the column. The bronze of the lion’s body doesn’t shine bright, at least not as much as Chanyeol’s smile.

They head to the side to see the Bridge of Sighs. Before Baekhyun can pocket his phone again, it beeps. There’s wifi somewhere close. Jongdae’s sent him a new mail.

_i think this is something you’d like to see_

The link leads to SBS 8 News’ online site and the title catches Baekhyun’s attention. His feet stop moving, making someone bump into him. He quickly apologizes before focusing back on the article. The name Jeon Byung Hun stands out from the title. It’s the judge that failed the passing of the JYJ Bill and the one accused by Baekhyun’s team.

“Why does it not surprise me?” Chanyeol’s voice sounds as disapproving as his face looks when Baekhyun lifts up his head.

“Sorry. I just-”

“Save it,” Chanyeol interrupts. “That phone is like another appendage of yours. Seriously, can’t you just enjoy your vacation?” Too quick for Baekhyun to react, Chanyeol snatches his phone and walks up to the bridge that crosses the canal. Waving the phone over the edge, he threatens. “Give me one reason I shouldn’t throw it out.”

“You’ll have to buy me another,” Baekhyun replies with gritted teeth. There’s people around curiously looking at the two of them. They probably don’t understand a thing, but it still makes Baekhyun embarrassed and he can feel his cheeks heating up.

“Why is it so important?”

“My job.”

“Why do you need to keep updated so much?” The phones dangles in between Chanyeol’s fingers as he moves his arm around. Baekhyun tenses, getting ready to push Chanyeol and take his phone back.

“I work for YTN!” He exclaims as he rushes forward.

Luckily, Chanyeol’s grip on the phone is tight enough so that it doesn’t slip off to the water when he falls flat on his butt. Baekhyun grabs his arm and hastily snatches the phone back.

“What?” Chanyeol asks from the floor. The shock is written all over his face and his motionless body.

“What?” Baekhyun asks back.

“Why did…?” Chanyeol stands up after noticing there’s more people around them. “Why did you lie?”

Baekhyun hesitates to answer. “How about some coffee at the Florian? I’m paying.” He suggests.

Chanyeol nods silently. The walk back in not silent, though. Chanyeol fires away many questions about Baekhyun’s job and he questions him about his lie. Yet, all Baekhyun does is sigh. He doesn’t reply until they’re sitting down in one of the tables outside of the Caffé Florian. They order something cold and cheap to drink and some olives as snack. The small bowl where the olives come in has the name of the Café written inside. Chanyeol would probably take a picture of it if he weren’t so distracted.

“Start from why you lied,” Chanyeol tells him with his arms crossed, leaning on his chest. His mouth is tight.

Baekhyun takes a sip from his drink. “I don’t know. You were a stranger and I wasn’t sure if I should say it,” he explains. “The issue blew up and there was a lot of criticism.”

“Well… It’s SM.” Chanyeol shrugs. He’s no longer crossing his arms.

“Yeah…” Baekhyun’s finger runs around the edge of his glass. “Then, when I found out you worked there, I guessed it was better to keep it a secret.” He looks up at the guy in front of him.

Chanyeol is staring straight at him “What were you reading on your phone just now?” Chanyeol asks before popping an olive inside his mouth.

“SBS got an interview with Jeon Byung Hun,” Baekhyun starts.

“Holy-!” Chanyeol exclaims, leaning in. “The judge?”

“Yeah, a friend sent me the link.”

“Open it!” Chanyeol no longer sounds upset; he actually seems interested in it.  
The link is still open, even if there’s no more wifi. Baekhyun places the phone between the two of them so they can both read the article. Although there’s a video of the interview, there’s also an article under it, explaining the Judge’s confession to accepting money from the entertainment company and his subsequent resignation from his position.

“Wow.” Chanyeol can’t close his mouth.

Baekhyun says nothing. He’s thinking about how all his hard work back at YTN seems useless now that the Judge gave the novelty to SBS. The investigation that took sleepless nights and a lot of calls to get the information right, yet gave them no audios nor comments from the implicated people, is pointless.

“Hey,” Chanyeol’s voice interrupts his thoughts. “Are you ok?”

“Ye-... No.” He shakes his head. “Everything my team and I did means nothing now.”

“Nah. You’re the ones that brought it to light,” Chanyeol points out.

“Wait… You’re not mad?” Baekhyun’s head snaps up and he stares at Chanyeol.

“Why would I?” Chanyeol chuckles. “This issue has nothing to do with me. And, to be honest, it doesn’t surprise me. The way they’ve handed some issues always seemed suspicious.” He shakes his head. “And why would I be mad at you? You were just doing your job,” he adds. “Is that what you were worried about? You’re so cute.” Chanyeol stretches his arm to ruffle Baekhyun’s hair.

“HEY!” Baekhyun slaps his hand away. “I’m not cute!”

“Yes, you are. Look at you, pouting like a kid.” The way Chanyeol looks at him makes him feel weird. It’s not the disappointed look he got used to. There’s something like fondness in his eyes that has Baekhyun’s cheeks warming up.

“Sorry for lying to you,” Baekhyun mutters quietly, yet Chanyeol still hears him. 

“It’s ok.” There’s a kind smile playing on Chanyeol’s lips.  
“You’re not worried about your job, though?” Baekhyun can’t help but ask.

“No, they’ll probably find whoever was involved and fire them. The company will probably survive this. And, in any case, I can start to focus on my own work,” Chanyeol replies and winks at him. Baekhyun doesn’t think he’s ever met someone so positive in his life.

“Do you wanna-?” Before Baekhyun can suggest they head somewhere else like one of the side streets or maybe go for a Gondola ride, the live band starts playing.

“Oh!” Chanyeol looks really excited and Baekhyun decides to sit back and enjoy it with him. “It’s a tango!”

 

**VERONA**

Wandering around the historical center of the city, Baekhyun walks with Chanyeol, who tells him everything he knows about it. No matter how detailed Chanyeol’s explanation is, Baekhyun can’t seem to focus. He gets lost in Chanyeol’s deep voice, following it as if the musician were the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Baekhyun catches only half of what Chanyeol’s saying, something about the UNESCO. 

“... the city of Romeo and Juliet.” Chanyeol ends his monologue.

“Ah.” Baekhyun doesn’t know what to add to make it a conversation.

“We should go to the balcony!” As always, whenever Chanyeol is excited, he claps his hands.

“Wait!” Baekhyun feels confused. ”Isn’t that a story? Is it based on a real one?”

Chanyeol shakes his head. “No, but there’s still a house said to have belonged to the Capulets, with a balcony and a courtyard.”

“Why?”

“Tourism,” Chanyeol answers, pulling out the map he keeps in his back pocket. “There it is!” He looks around the street until he finds a sign with the name. “Just a few meters away. Let’s go!” He, then, surprises Baekhyun by grabbing his wrist.

Baekhyun doesn’t say anything. Chanyeol’s hand feels warm on his skin— and a tiny bit sweaty. What shocks him the most is not the action itself, but how natural it feels to have Chanyeol holding him and how much he likes it. He knows he’s entering dangerous territory now. Up until this moment, Baekhyun liked spending time with Chanyeol and enjoyed his own personal tourist guide; he does find Chanyeol physically attractive, but the little jump of his stomach when the contact happens, that’s new. And scary.

Juliet’s house is closed when they arrive. Only the balcony and a bronze statue at the back of the courtyard can be seen from the iron fence. The place looks really simple, yet it attracts a lot of people. The outside wall of the house is all written with different colors and ends up calling Baekhyun’s attention more than the balcony itself.

“What’s with the writing on the walls?” Baekhyun tugs at Chanyeol’s sleeve while the other takes a picture of the courtyard.

“Oh! That!” Chanyeol lowers down his phone. “The tradition is to write your lover’s and your name on the wall to make your love everlasting,” he pauses. “Should we write ours?” Chanyeol chuckles cheekily until he sees Baekhyun’s stunned face. “It was just a joke, Baek!”

Baekhyun laughs awkwardly and nods. He steps closer to the wall, to read the names. He finds traces of different languages in between all the colors.

“Another tradition is for single people to touch the statue to find the love of their lives,” Chanyeol explains. “Are you single, Baek?” The way he asks the question doesn’t feel as charged as Baekhyun himself feels.

“Uh… Yes. You?” He hopes that he doesn’t sound as nervous as he feels.

“Me too.” 

“Yeah, who would want to date you?” Baekhyun teases him

“Excuse me?” Chanyeol turns to look him in the eye. “Look at all of this,” he gestures down his body with both hands. “Anyone would be lucky to have me.” Chanyeol’s pauses make Baekhyun nervous, not sure what to expect. “You on the other hand…” He trails off with a judging face.

“I’m sorry?” Baekhyun can’t feel offended, though. Not when he can hear the teasing tone in Chanyeol’s voice and he likes it. “I’m a gift to the world,” he says as they walk away from the house. “These hips were made by the Gods and I have a great butt.” He turns his head to look at it.

“Well, I can’t argue with that,” Chanyeol says, looking at Baekhyun’s backside too and shrugging.

Baekhyun feels sort of pleased with the reaction he got from Chanyeol until he realizes that in a weird way, they are flirting. The tension they’ve had during the trip vanished the moment Baekhyun opened up about his job. The air between them feels a lot lighter, so much that they can freely speak the way they’re doing now. And it makes Baekhyun feel more comfortable with Chanyeol, comfortable enough to let other feelings come to surface. 

“What’s with the obsession with love, though?” Baekhyun wonders out loud.

“Well, it’s the city of lovers,” Chanyeol tells him. “Venice, Verona, look at all the place I brought you to,” he adds, winking at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun laughs loudly.

 

Dinner is at a small restaurant in Piazza Bra, the main square in Verona, where the Arena is. They have tickets to see Aida at night, so they have a quick meal nearby. Baekhyun accepted Chanyeol’s invitation to watch an Opera in the venue even if he finds it to be boring. Chanyeol’s smiling face was the reason his answer was a nod and a breathed out “yes”. 

Chanyeol suggested an early dinner and reminded him to dress formally. Yet, Baekhyun was not prepared to see Chanyeol in nicely fitting slacks and a white shirt when he opened the door of his room after someone knocked on it. His long legs looked slim and even longer than any other day. His hair was styled up and Baekhyun had to take a moment to focus on calming the rapid beating of his heart.

“You look nice,” Chanyeol was the first one to compliment the other.

“Thanks. You too,” Baekhyun shyly replied.

As they sit on one of the tables outside, Baekhyun looks in front of him and can’t deny that the attraction is much stronger than before. Chanyeol, once again, orders for him, already knowing his taste. Baekhyun is served _spaghetti alla carbonara_ , while Chanyeol gets _ravioli_ with _fileto_ , just tomato, no garlic.

Conversation runs light and easy until Baekhyun’s phone beeps. Before even checking it, he looks up at Chanyeol as if asking for permission. Smiling, Chanyeol nods and Baekhyun unlocks his phone. He’s got a mail from Junmyeon. It’s short and quick to the point. _We need you back. Can you change your flight?_

“They need me back,” Baekhyun explains, looking back up at Chanyeol. He sees his smile waver.

“Oh… That’s good!” The change from almost disappointment to excitement is so quick that Baekhyun thinks his own hopeful mind is playing tricks on him.

They haven’t made any more plans together beyond Milan. Chanyeol is heading to France, but Baekhyun wasn’t sure. Junmyeon’s sudden request stop Baekhyun from considering staying in Europe.

“Yeah…” His voice is not louder than a whisper. His eyes fixed are on the screen.  
“Hey! We still have Milan!” Chanyeol’s optimism is enough for Baekhyun’s shoulder to drop and relax. 

Baekhyun smiles. “What are you going to do?”

“I’ve already told you, France.” Chanyeol looks at him in confusion.

“But when you go back to Korea?”

“Oh!” He sounds genuinely surprised, as if he hasn’t thought about it yet. In the little time that Baekhyun has known Chanyeol, he knows the musician is a guy who plans everything carefully, even his adventures. “I guess… I’ll work on starting my own studio.” And Baekhyun believes he’s capable of of doing it. “If it all goes down with SM, I’ll still have my music.”

Bribing a judge is a serious issue, especially for a strong and successful company. Baekhyun hasn’t search for any more news since Jongdae sent him the link. Yet, he can imagine the chaos that’s going on in Seoul.

“I’m still trying to understand why it was so hard for you to trust me,” Chanyeol wonders. “I know I was a stranger, yet you agreed to travel with me. There was some trust there.”

“I think…” Baekhyun takes his time to think it through. “I guess I felt so terrible about it having gone wrong that I wanted to escape from it. And bringing it back, saying it out loud, would make me feel worse. It was just my own fears acting out,” he explains as he scratches his empty plate with the fork. On his wrist, he sees his bracelet peeking out from beneath his shirt.

 

Soon after, dinner is over and it’s time to go watch Aida. As they enter the Arena, Baekhyun is reminded of the Colosseum, but this one has been recovered and works as a theatre. It’s huge inside and full of seats. Chanyeol and Baekhyun find their seats in the stone steps, they’ve bought the cheaper tickets. The stage looks good, yet what leaves both of them in awe is looking up to find how the dark sky serves as a ceiling for the Arena. 

The Opera is four Acts long and Baekhyun sleeps all through them. Before the show, Chanyeol told him excitedly about the story. The main characters are a Nubian princess, called Aida, and an Egyptian commander, who is love with her. The man struggles with his love for her and his loyalty to the Pharaoh, as Egypt is at war with the Nubians. It’s another star-crossed lovers’ story. But Chanyeol’s eye shine when he tells it and Baekhyun likes it.

During the first Act, Baekhyun’s concentration wavers for a while until his eyes close. He wakes up during the interval to find Chanyeol shaking his head. Instead of disappointment, though, there’s a fond look in his eyes.

“You didn’t have to come, if you don’t like Opera,” he says.

Baekhyun looks him in the eye, considering what he should say. “I… I wanted to spend time with you.” He decides to be honest.

“Oh, ok.” It’s too dark to see if Chanyeol is blushing, but the way he lowers his head and bites his lips, trying to keep a smile from showing, are enough proof for Baekhyun of Chanyeol’s bashful expression.

After the second Act, Chanyeol tells him with a hearty laugh that he moaned before falling asleep, but luckily the music was loud enough to cover it up. He also mentioned that he makes cute, soft noises in his sleep.

During the third and last interval, Baekhyun opens his eyes and finds his head on Chanyeol’s shoulder. He rubs his eyes while apologizing, until he remembers he has put on eyeliner. Chanyeol laughs and grabs his chin. Carefully, with his thumb, he wipes the smudged eyeliner around Baekhyun’s eyes. Face to face with him, Baekhyun’s breath hitches and he becomes aware of how much he wants to lean in and kiss him. Chanyeol says nothing and he’s still grinning.

When the show ends, Baekhyun’s head is again on Chanyeol’s shoulder but, this time, Chanyeol’s arm is around his body, holding him closer.

“Come on, let’s go back to the hotel, you sleepy head,” Chanyeol tells him as he massages Baekhyun’s nape.

Baekhyun has to stop himself from moaning in pleasure, loving the feeling of Chanyeol’s warm hand on his skin. Leaving the venue, Baekhyun knows he won’t remember a thing about Aida and all of the memories he will be able to recall from tonight are about Chanyeol being close to him. 

 

**MILANO**

Walking through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, Chanyeol and Baekhyun are more interested in the place and its structure than the brand stores inside of it. Everything is too expensive for them, anyway. Though, Baekhyun asks Chanyeol to take a picture of him in front of Dolce & Gabbana for Zitao. He loves making his friend envious.

The gallery is really high and the ceiling is made of glass. It’s a sunny day outside and the rays enter through the glass dome as Baekhyun and Chanyeol stand under it. The magnitude of the place amazes them.

Ever since Venice, there haven’t been any more silent walks. They can talk about pretty much anything and Baekhyun is once again reminded of how lucky he was to get a travel buddy like Chanyeol on his first day in Rome. In between the museums, churches, and the quarrels they had along the way, Baekhyun’s feelings for Chanyeol have changed. Yet, he isn’t sure if it’s because of the guy himself or the fact that Baekhyun’s opened up to new things.

“Come on!” Chanyeol hurries him up. Baekhyun realizes he’s stopped at the end of the galleria, lost in his own little world. Chanyeol is calling him with his hand and pointing at the Cathedral. The musician adjusts the guitar case strap on his shoulder just as Baekhyun joins him.

The Cathedral is impressive to say the least, imposing and ostentatious. Situated at the end of a big square, it attracts everyone’s attention. An unexpected _wow_ leaves Baekhyun’s lips, and it’s followed by Chanyeol’s “yeah”. Their steps get quicker and, as they get closer to the Cathedral, Baekhyun starts to feel smaller and smaller.

“Let’s go inside,” Chanyeol says after they take photos in front of it. Then, he takes Baekhyun’s hand; this time it’s not his wrist. Their fingers are linked and everything that Baekhyun was feeling because of the Cathedral means nothing when compared to the rush of emotions he gets from Chanyeol’s touch. He grips the hand tighter and follows.

Once inside, Chanyeol turns back into Guide mode. He explains everything as excitedly as always, Baekhyun listening attentively. At a certain altar, Chanyeol stands behind him as they stare at it while he tells the story of St. Peter visiting St. Agatha in prison. Baekhyun wants nothing more than Chanyeol to wrap his arms around him and hook his chin on Baekhyun’s shoulder. He can feel the other’s presence so, so close to him and it makes a shiver run down his spine. Before his thoughts get even darker, he turns his face towards the main altar and feels like he should apologize, since he’s inside a church.

After visiting the Cathedral, they take a walk around the Piazza. It’s wide and quite empty, aside from the flock of tourists. Chanyeol seems to be searching for something as he stretches his neck, even though he doesn’t need to. Soon, he heads to an end of the piazza and lowers down his guitar case. Baekhyun gets it, then, shaking his head with a smile.

“Wanna help?” Chanyeol asks, tuning his guitar after getting settled.

“Love Song again?” Baekhyun suggests.

But Chanyeol shakes his head. “I didn’t spend the whole trip since Naples teaching you Lucky for nothing.” Baekhyun chuckles and stands by his side. Chanyeol taught Baekhyun one of his self-composed songs, but the lyrics were missing and they worked on them together.

 _Being born in the same country, talking in the same language_. Baekhyun starts singing.

Late at night, instead of going out for dinner, they buy wine and something light at the supermarket and take it back to the apartment Chanyeol rented before even knowing Baekhyun was going to join him. The building is very similar to Vito and Rita’s, with a big, centered courtyard and all the windows facing it. The apartment itself is smaller than that of their friends’, but very nicely and homely decorated. A night in is very much appreciated by Baekhyun’s feet after all that walking.

Chanyeol takes charge of preparing dinner, just a simple bibimbap without kimchi, since it was impossible to find. The seasoning is not what they’re used to, but Chanyeol manages to make it good. The way he presents the food reminds Baekhyun of Rita and he laughs out loud. The dining table is set and ready. Chanyeol’s already set a playlist of Biagio Antonacci’s songs. All that’s left is the wine, and Chanyeol takes charge of it too.

“You’re spoiling me, Yeol,” Baekhyun says, a little bashful.

Chanyeol chuckles. “No, I’m wooing you.” He winks. “Is it working?”

“Let me taste the wine and we’ll see,” Baekhyun replies, holding his glass. Luckily, his arm is not shaking. He has accepted the fact that he wants Chanyeol; yet, he isn’t sure how the other feels. He could just be joking and not really be interested in men, like Baekhyun is.

Dinner is accompanied by mindless chatter and jokes. There’s flirting involved, too. Baekhyun’s never had much problem letting his intentions known with other men. Besides, these are his last few days with Chanyeol, he should just go for it, he thinks as he runs his foot up and down Chanyeol’s calf. The taller man chokes on his food.

“Oops, sorry,” Baekhyun apologizes not sounding sorry at all. “I was just letting you know I’m wooed. The food is great.” He winks while he sips from his glass. The wine makes warmth travel down his body and, as it spreads, he feels more and more daring.

After managing to swallow, Chanyeol comments, “Oh, good. It worked, then.”

For a moment, they both stay silent, staring at each other. Baekhyun realizes how easy Chanyeol is to read, how open his expression is and how Baekhyun’s not the only one feeling the desire simmering under his skin.

Chanyeol breaks the moment by coughing and saying he’ll go wash the dishes. Baekhyun holds his wrist before he can stand up. “I’ll do it. You’ve cooked already. Stay.”

While he works in the kitchen, he becomes aware of how much tension there’s in his body and in the apartment, too. He’s getting jittery, wanting to be done with the dishes as soon as possible. The time it takes him is enough to wake up some fantasies that involve Chanyeol and him doing things he hasn’t considered before. He shivers when he thinks of how much he wants to end up in bed with the other man.

After he’s done, he walks back into the living room to find Chanyeol in the small balcony. Grabbing his glass of wine, he joins him. They say nothing, just tilt and clink their glasses. The view is that of the dark courtyard and the moon up high. It’s nice to have this moment between the two of them.

“Baek…” Chanyeol doesn’t usually sound so unsure. “When we go back to Seoul,... what’s gonna happen between us?” He twirls his glass pensively. “We’ll still be friends, right?”

“Of course,” Baekhyun assures him. “I’m glad I’ve met you here.” He thinks it’s time to be honest. “Yeol, you were the best part of the trip.” Thanks to the light of the room behind them, he can see the blush in Chanyeol’s cheeks. He likes getting that reaction from him.

“Can I… Can I do something?”

“What?”

Chanyeol doesn’t reply but, from the way he leans in closer, Baekhyun can guess what the answer is. The first contact of their lips is surprisingly shy, testing the way they fit together. Baekhyun realizes now how tempting Chanyeol’s mouth has always been. As they get more comfortable, Baekhyun is the first one to get a taste of wine from Chanyeol’s lips. Remembering the glass in his hand, he pulls away. Just as Chanyeol is about to protest, he takes both glasses in hand and places them on the table.

Chanyeol follows him back inside. He looks disconcerted, so Baekhyun backs him against the table and assures him with another kiss how much he wants it. Used to being led by Chanyeol, Baekhyun finds amusement in being the one in control, especially when he’s balancing on his tiptoes to reach Chanyeol. Huffing in frustration, he pushes Chanyeol to the side, to sit on a chair and settles down on his lap.

“Much better,” he whispers hoarsely.

Chanyeol can’t do much more than groan and place his hands on Baekhyun’s waist.

“I-...” Baekhyun breaks the kiss again. “...don’t have supplies,” he sighs, letting his head fall on Chanyeol’s shoulder.

“I… do.”

Baekhyun snaps his head up. “You do?” His voice is full of hope. “Wait… Who did you-?”

“Shush, Baek,” Chanyeol interrupts him and maneuvers him off his lap. “Bedroom.”

 

Baekhyun wakes up with daylight coming through the window. The soreness on his backside and the coldness of the bed llet him know something is missing. Chanyeol is not in the room, Baekhyun whines about it. As he stretches in bed, the pain intensifies and he hisses.

“How are you feeling?” Chanyeol is standing by the door, holding a glass of water and something else.

“Fine,” he answers. “I just haven’t done it in a while.” Baekhyun is being honest; the last few months have been so nerve wracking that he sort of forgot about his sex life.

“Oh! I thought it was because of me,” Chanyeol cheekily says.

“That too,” Baekhyun mutters, hiding his blushing face in between the pillows.

“Time to get up, Baek.” Baekhyun feels Chanyeol sit down on the mattress and a hand caressing his back.

He whines, “don’t wanna…”

“Take some painkillers. We have tickets to see The Last Supper.”

Baekhyun curses Leonardo Da Vinci, Milan and Italy in his mind, while he takes the pill Chanyeol’s offering.

 

The following days are spent similarly. During the day, they go around discovering the city and, at night, they lose themselves in between the sheets. Baekhyun makes sure to take advantage of their last few days together and the privacy of the apartment. Chanyeol lets him take everything; he gives himself to Baekhyun.

But the bubble they live in is thinning out. Time keeps ticking and, too soon for both of them, their days are over. The summer spent together in Italy was what Baekhyun needed to find peace again after all he went through. But it’s over now and he has to go back to Seoul and his life. 

 

 **서울**

It’s not a surprise when Baekhyun returns to find chaos at work. He’s had the whole flight to prepare himself. The first few days are intense and he has to catch up with everything that’s been going on, not just with SM Entertainment. He’s been oblivious about what was happening in Korea while he discovered Italy with Chanyeol. Stress makes him work all day and fall down on his bed as soon as he gets home.

He has no time to contact Chanyeol and, as time passes by, he becomes afraid that the musician is not interested in keeping in touch. He could have contacted him too; it’s been days. The more time passes, the more scared Baekhyun is. Maybe it’s just him who longs for Chanyeol, while the other has forgotten about him. There’s no news.

Some nights, Baekhyun goes through their KKT chat, reading their conversations from back in Rome, when they were getting to know each other and Chanyeol was playing guide, full of suggestions and instructions. He finds Chanyeol’s selcas in between the conversation. The dimple showing up on his cheek, the v sign, the snapback. When Baekhyun gives himself time to miss Chanyeol, his heart aches and he closes the app and leaves the phone aside.

A week after he’s back in Korea, Baekhyun sits on his own at a small restaurant near the studio. He orders bibimbap and goes through his notifications. It’s been hectic at work and his co-workers don’t give him a rest. He needs to disconnect and take a deep a breath. But he’s back home, he’s not in Italy.

The black stone bowl of bibimbap is steaming in front of him. When he picks up the chopsticks, the bracelet on his wrist twinkles. On a whim, he grabs his phone, takes a photo and sends it.

_Menu of the day: Bibimbap_

**Author's Note:**

> The JYJ Bill was passed in December of 2015. It was failed to pass in June of the same year. It prevents broadcasters from banning artists from appearing on programs without a clear reason. SME had no involvement in the failure to pass the bill the first time, I’m just a bitter, old b*****. The judge is fictional, although the name appears in one of the articles about the bill.  
> First song: [Wi Ing Wi Ing](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jDoyAzqIZU), cover by Chanyeol, originally by Hyukoh  
> Second Song: [Love Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KXHEUcO15A), cover by Baekhyun and Chanyeol, originally by Bumkey and Rythmking  
> Third Song: Lucky by EXO.
> 
> Mods' Notes: During the duration of BAE2016, we're kindly asking you to leave your reviews on [Livejournal](http://baeconandeggs.livejournal.com/30648.html). Thank you for reading!♥
> 
>  


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